Breaking Barriers: Using Music to Create Community in Orphanages

Author

Jessica MacLean, Lesley UniversityFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-19-2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MA - Master of Arts

Department

Expressive Therapies

Advisor

Donna C. Owens

Abstract

Community Music Therapy is a quickly growing subfield of music therapy that shows positive effects on groups of marginalized people. Although there is a large body of research surrounding the use of Community Music Therapy with some populations, there is little to no research about its use in orphanages. This thesis describes a community engagement project that took place in an orphanage in Vietnam, demonstrating the positive effects of music therapy on the children residing there. Interactive live music was played in the wards the children live on for two weeks and the experiences and results were documented by the music therapist. Results show the children communicated more with each other and the music therapist, forming a stronger sense of community and self while the music was playing.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

MacLean, Jessica, "Breaking Barriers: Using Music to Create Community in Orphanages" (2018). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 50.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_theses/50